Variable time delay valve for flush tanks



3, 1967 A. WEINGARTNER 3,334,359

VARIABLE TIME DELAY VALVE FOR FLUSH TANKS Filed Aug. 30; 1965 FIG. 3 29 I 29 T INVENTOR ADAM WEl/VGART/VER United States Patent C) M 3,334,359 VARIABLE TIME DELAY VALVE FOR FLUSH TANKS Adam Weingartner, 270 Highwood Ave.,- Ridgewootl, NJ. 07450 Filed Aug. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 483,448 7 Claims. (Cl. 4-67) My invention relates to valves, generally and specifi cally to a variable, time-delay valve for flush tanks.

With droughts becoming more frequent in the highly urbanized areas of the world, and in other areas which are reasonably civilized and which normally suffer from insufficient water or periodic droughts, water has become a precious commodity. The well-known water closet flush tank presents one challenge for the reduction of water consumption.

The usual tank-flushed water closet is controlled by a mechanically operated valve which unseats a valve bulb from a valve seat in the bottom of a tank. The entire contents of the tank must empty before the valve closes. Most frequently, water flows into the tank during the period of time that water is draining gravitationally through the valve in the bottom. In the average flush tank, this cycle represents fifteen gallons or more of water, irrespective of the flow necessary to properly empty the bowl. Under many conditions, no such vast quantity of water is necessary. Thus, a flush tank system which requires complete emptying of the tank grossly Wastes water.

During periods of water shortage, many persons have suggested that a water displacement device, such as a brick or some other solid, bulky insoluble material be placed in the flush tank to reduce its volume. However, under varying circumstances, varying volumes of water are needed to properly empty the water closet bowl. Thus, a displacement device of fixed volume may result in an excessive use of water under certain conditions and an insuflicient use of water under other conditions.

Therefore, it is among the objects and advantages of my invention to provide a variable, time-delay valve for flush tanks in which the time during which discharge of water from the tank takes place may be varied according to the operators choice.

Another object of my invention is to provide a variable, time delay valve for flush tanks in which an electrically energized solenoid attached to the valve stem lifts the valve stem upwardly lifting the valve bulb from the valve seat for a predetermined time and thereafter, the solenoid is automatically deenergized and a weight attached to the valve stem gravitationally forces the valve bulb into the valve seat again terminating the discharge of water.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a variable, time delay valve for flush tanks in which a plurality of buttons on the external wall of the flush tank each actuate a different time delay mechanism operatively connected to the arforesaid solenoid.

A further object of my invention is to provide a variable, time delay valve for flush tanks in which a mechanical timer may be employed instead of electrical timers.

Yet a further object of my invention is to provide a variable time delay valve for flush tanks which may be quickly and easily adapted to a wide-variety of existing flush tank and valve mechanisms.

These objects and advantages as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by my invention, one embodiment of which is illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational, partially broken away view of my variable, time delay valve for flush tanks;

3,334,359 Patented Aug. 8, 1967 FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view taken along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic wiring diagram of my time delay valve.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my variable, time delay valve for flush tanks comprises an electrically operated solenoid 11 which may be attached in any convenient manner to the usual, vertical overflow drain 12 invariably found in flush tanks. The armature 13 of the solenoid 11 is provided with a heavy weight 14. The armature 13 is connected to the valve stem 15 which'extends downwardly in the direction of the bottom of the tank terminating in the valve bulb 16. The solenoid 11 is oriented so that the axis of movement of the armature 13 is coextensive with the longitudinal axis of the valve stem 15.

The solenoid 11 is electrically connected to a pair of electrically operated time delay switches 17 and 18 which are mounted on the interior surfaces of the front wall 19 of the flush tank 20. Since the time delay switches 17 and 18 are electrically operated, the bracket 21 supporting them is located above the water line of the tank 20 and an appropriate water-tight cover, not shown in the drawings, may be provided.

The time delay switches 17 and 18 comprise each a pair of doub-le-circuited electro-magnetically locking push-button switches 22 and 23. Mounted on the bracket 21 adjacent to the switches 22 and 23 are a pair of time delay relay vacuum tubes 24 and 25. Each of the switches 22 and 23 is actuated by separate push-buttons, respectively 26 and 27 slidably mounted in the front wall 19 of the tank 20 extending transversely therethrough and operable from the outside.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, each of the time delay relay vacuum tubes 24 and 25 has a different periodicity. For instance, one tube may be adapted to operate in two or three sections whereas the other may operate in eight or ten sections. The time in which each of the time delay switches 17 and 18 operate depends upon the amount of Water one wishes to flow from the flush tank 20 and is dependent upon the diameter of the discharge valve and the depth of the tank. In addition, the number of time delay switches employed may be varied according to need. Moreover, while I have shown electrical time delay switches, mechanical time delay switches ,could be substituted.

Referring again to FIGURE 3, as one of the push buttons 26 or 27 is depressed, the circuit to solenoid 11 is energized and the armature 13 rises vertically lifting the valve stem 15 upsetting the valve bulb 16 from the valve seat 28. Simultaneously, an electro-magnet 29 in the locking switch 22 or 23 is energized passing current through the time delay relay vacuum tubes 24 or 25 to Which it is connected. The tube 24, 25 comprises a pair of normally closed contacts and a heating grid. The current flows through the contacts of the tube 24 or 25 and to the solenoid 11, to the electro-magnet 29. The electro-magnet 29 retains normally opened contacts 30, 30 closed. As the heating grid in the tube 24 or 25 heats, it causes stress upon a bi-metal .in one of the contacts of the tube. After a predetermined period of time, the contacts of the tube 24 or 25 open thereby breaking the circuit to the electro-magnet 29 in the switch 22 or 23. When the electro-magnet 29 is deenergized, the normally opened contacts 30, 30 which are held in engagement by the electro-magnet 29, opens breaking the circuit to the solenoid 11. Thus, the solenoid 11 is deenergized in a predetermined period of time.

After the solenoid 11 has been deenergized, the weight 14 on the armature 13 forces'the valve stem 15 downwardly until the valve bulb 16 seats in the valve seat 28.

3 Of course, the weight 14 could be attached to the valve stem 15 rather than the armature 13 to accomplish the same result.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the appended claims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

I claim:

1. A variable, time-delay valve for flush tanks comprising,

(a) a solenoid mounted within a flush tank,

(b) an armature in the solenoid operatively connected to a discharge valve in the flush tank, the discharge valve opening when the solenoid is energized and closing when the solenoid is deenergized, and,

(c) a plurality of time-delay switch means connected to the solenoid, each said switch means energizing the solenoid for a different period of time, said solenoid being connected to a power source through said switch means, whereby the period of time during which the discharge valve remains open may be adjustably controlled.

2. A variable, time-delay valve for flush tanks comprising,

(a) the structure in accordance with claim 1 and (b) a weight on the armature, the weight gravitationally closing the discharge valve when the solenoid is deenergized.

3. A variable, time-delay valve for flush tanks comprising,

(a) the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which,

(b) each said switch means is a momentary push button locking switch connected to an electrical timedelay relay.

4. A variable, time-delay valve for flush tanks comprising,

(a) the structure in accordance with claim 3 and (b) a weight on the armature, the weight gravitationally closing the discharge valve when the solenoid is deenergized.

5. A variable, time-delay valve for flush tanks comprising,

(a) a solenoid mounted within a flush tank,

(b) an armature in the solenoid vertically ascending when the solenoid is energized,

(c) a valve stem on a discharge valve in the flush tank, the valve stem being connected to the armature, the valve opening when the armature ascends and closing gravitationally under influence of the weight when the solenoid is deenergized and,

(d) a plurality of time-delay switch means connected to the solenoid, each said switch means energizing the solenoid for a different period of time, the sole noid being connected to a power source through the said switch means.

6. A variable, time-delay valve for flush tanks comprising,

(a) a solenoid mounted within a flush tank,

(b) an armature in the solenoid vertically ascending when the solenoid is energized,

(c) a valve in the tank,

(d) a valve stem on the valve extending vertically upwardly,

(e) the armature being attached to the valve stem, the valve stem ascending and opening the valve when the solenoid is energized,

(f) a weight on the armature suflicient to cause the valve stem to gravitationally descend and close the valve when the solenoid is deenergized, and,

(g) a plurality of time-delay switch means connected to the solenoid, each said switch means energizing the solenoidfor a diiferent period of time, the solenoid being connected to a power source through the said switch means.

7. A variable, time-delay valve for flush tanks comprising,

(a) the structure in accordance with claim 6 in which,

(b) each said switch means is a momentary push button locking switch connected to an electrical timedelay relay.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 416,131 11/1889 Weeden 4100 1,456,196 5/ 1923 Staats 467 1,538,216 5/1925 Roth 4-67 1,626,255 4/ 1927 Roth. 2,056,087 9/1936 Andrews 467 2,061,310 11/1936 Kleiser. 2,388,990 11/1945 Nelson et al. 4-101 2,813,274 11/1957 Lewis et a1. 412 2,881,450 4/1959 Tubbs 4-67 3,090,967 5/ 1963 Erhardt et al. 4-67 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A VARIABLE, TIME-DELAY VALVE FOR FLUSH TANKS COMPRISING, (A) A SOLENOID MOUNTED WITHIN A FLUSH TANK, (B) AN ARMATURE IN THE SOLENOID OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO A DISCHARGE VALVE IN THE FLUSHTANK, THE DISCHARGE VALVE OPENING WHEN THE SOLENOID IS ENERGIZED AND CLOSING WHEN THE SOLENOID IS ENERGIZED AND (C) A PLURALITY OF TIME-DELAY SWITCH MEANS CONNECTED TO THE SOLENOID, FOR A DIFFERENT PEROID OF TIME, SAID SOLENOID BEING CONNECTED TO A POWER SOURCE THROUGH SAID SWITCH MEANS, WHEREBY THE PERIOD OF TIME DURING WHICH THE DISCHARGE VALVE REMAINS OPEN MAY BE ADJUSTABLY CONTROLLED. 